To commemorate USA TODAY's 25th anniversary, a panel of USA TODAY's NFL reporters and editors has produced an anthology of the 25 best NFL players of the past 25 years. Working down from No. 25, we will unveil one player each weekday until training camp season arrives:

A cornerstone of the Chicago Bears' during the 1980s, Mike Singletary earned the 17th spot on USA TODAY's list for leadership he provided to the league's most suffocating defense.

A two-time Defensive Player of the Year in 1985 and 1988, Singletary missed just two games during his 12-year career and was the Bears' leading or second-leading tackler in his final 11 seasons.

An emotional leader for Chicago, Singletary set an example for efficiency and consistency his teammates followed. Said the Bears linebacker, "To me, sacking the quarterback isn't that big of a deal. When I get to hit a great back in the hole or when I knock down or intercept a pass, that's where I get my thrill."

Singletary powered a Chicago defense that was the NFL's top-rated for three consecutive seasons from 1984-1986 and that surrendered the fewest points in the NFL in 1985, 1986 and 1988.

DEFENSES WITH FEWEST POINTS ALLOWED IN 16-GAME SCHEDULE

Team

Year

Points allowed

Baltimore Ravens

2000

165

Chicago Bears

1986

187

Tennessee Titans

2000

191

Pittsburgh Steelers

1978

195

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2002

196

Chicago Bears

1985

198

Denver Broncos

1978

198

The 1985 season was a highlight for Singletary as he and the Bears rode the league's top defense to a 15-1 record and the team's only Super Bowl title. He picked up two opponents' fumbles in the Super Bowl victory against New England, as Chicago capped a postseason that included two shutouts and a cumulative 91-10 scoring advantage.

"Samurai Mike," as Singletary came to be known, was an intimidating force for more than a decade. But teammates and coaches also credited the Hall of Famer with his willingness to accept criticism and adapt.

ABOUT MIKE SINGLETARY

Born: Oct. 9, 1958, in Houston, Texas

College: Baylor

Drafted: No. 38 overall in 1981

Teams: Chicago, 1981-1992

Pro Bowls: 10

All-Pro teams: Eight

Defensive Player of the Year: 1985, 1988

"That's what kept him at his peak," former Bears linebacker coach Dave McGinnis said in 1991. "He's still willing to take coaching and listen to new ideas. It's what sets him apart from other guys who reach so-called star quality."

Singletary, a member of the All-Decade team for the 1980s, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

Sources: Chicago Bears, Pro Football Hall of Fame, USA TODAY research

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About this series: A panel of 10 NFL reporters and editors at USA TODAY cast votes in this project. Points were assigned (25 points for the player voted No. 1, 24 points for No. 2, etc.), and the cumulative points determined the rankings.

• The list covers the past 25 seasons. Instructions to panelists stated that if a player competed in any one of those seasons, then the player's entire career could be considered for the rankings.

• After all 25 players have been named, USA TODAY will reveal the complete voting results.

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Mike Singletary won two Defensive Player of the Year awards during his 12-year career with the Bears.

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